


Tides

by FeugoFox42



Series: Kindness Critters Prompts [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Campaign 2 (Critical Role), Campaign 2 spoilers, F/M, Family Reunions, Longing, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:01:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29227395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeugoFox42/pseuds/FeugoFox42
Summary: The Seas and the Oceans of the world owe a lot to Catha and Ruidus - the two Moons of Exandria. They create the tides for the waters of the world, locking them in a perpetual cycle.People are often like tides; they leave, they return. No questions asked.Some are the inverse of this; when they go, that's it. Or they may come into your life and never leave your side again.And sometimes? Sometimes, it can take a really long time for someone to come back into your life.
Relationships: The Gentleman | Babenon Dosal/Marion Lavorre | Ruby of the Sea
Series: Kindness Critters Prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121654
Kudos: 7





	Tides

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Campaign 2, Episode 85

Jester looked surprised when Sorah came over to speak with her and Caduceus after her little outburst; usually, outbursts like that would have resulted in the group being forcefully removed from the premises, but there was a look on the Goliath's face that almost looked... apologetic as she approached. 

"Listen, kid, we tried warning you," she reasoned. "The Gentleman left us some instructions and a bit of gold to run this place in his absence for a little while, but he isn't here."

"Huh. I thought he never left here," the Firbolg observed, taking his tankard from what the barkeep had laid out for them and taking a small sip, face scrunching up a little as the liquid making its way down his throat.

"He didn't really, until about two weeks ago," she shrugged, patting the blue Tiefling on the shoulder sympathetically. "Said he had unfinished business to take care of, and that he needed to do it personally." With no response, the Goliath returned to her post as the Clerics of The Mighty Nein collected their drinks and returned to their table by the wall opposite.

Everyone saw the downcast expression on Jester's face the moment she walked back, but it was Veth who was quickest off the mark to say something. "What happened? What did they say?" She drew her crossbow immediately, loading a bolt like it was second nature to her - which at this point, it really was. "Do I need to kill anyone?"

"That won't be necessary," Caduceus placated immediately, voice never raising for a second.

"Seriously though," Yasha added, "did something happen over there. You're kind of all... mopey now."

"My dad's not here," explained a downcast Jester, flopping down into her seat with a _harrumph._

"Where is he?"

"I don't know, I thought he was going to be here 'cause he's _always_ here, ya know?!"

Beau spoke up, adding, "you could always just message him."

The Tiefling sniffled a bit, but nodded and began casting _Message._ "We're at the Evening Nip Dad, where are you? I thought you never left, it's why we came here. Just let me know you're okay."

The silence was palpable, even though Jester was the only one who could hear the message come through when it did. Which, after nearly a two full minutes of silence, she perked up and listened to the reply in her head. Part way through, Jester did a full-body gasp and a joyous smile etched itself onto her features. "Caleb!"

"Ja?"

"We need to go, now!"

"We just bought these drinks Jester, could it not wait, like, fifteen minutes?" Veth complained, clutching her tankard closer to her chest.

"Why did he say?" Beau answered near simultaneously, competing to speak louder than Veth so her question was heard more.

"Well..."

~~~~~~~~~~

Marion Lavorre lay in her new bathtub staring up at the ceiling, and let out a content sigh.

The water - burning hot to the point of danger by most people's standards, even after nearly thirty minutes - was calming and grounding for her as she lay there. After the incident a few months ago with Yeza's wife returning to her body (a sensation that even to describe sounded absolutely outrageous, but considering all the magic and mischief her little sapphire and her friends got up to, this seemed relatively on-brand for them) and the shattered porcelain she was left with, she was in need of a replacement. Fortunately, all she needed was a week or so of taking a few extra suitors in, mention to a couple of wealthier one about her predicament, and sure enough, not only did she have enough gold to buy herself a new one off her own back, but one suitor even had a new bath sent to her from his own funds. 

This one was a little bit larger than the previous - a feat impressive by itself - so she had far more space to relax and get comfortable in, and was decorated with gold patterns around the base of the feet and along part of rim of the tub, with occasional stones etched into rim as well. A _wildly_ absurd and inappropriately priced gift, if she had to guess, but she reminded herself that some of her suitors could afford to splash out, and money was meant to be spent, was it not? Plus, if push came to shove (which it never would, but one can never be too prepared for that eventuality) the gems alone, should they be real, could fetch a few thousand gold on their own. 

Here eyes were drawn to one cluster on the right hand side of the tub in particular. Three "little gems" (each maybe the size of a nail head) consisting of a blue amethyst, a sapphire and a ruby, all together. 

Marion Lavorre lay in her bathtub staring at the gem cluster, and let out a weary sigh as she reached out and ran her fingers along the gems, tracing their shapes as water dripped from her fingers.

Everyday for the years since his departure, Marion headed out to the balcony and looked out onto the wharf of Nicodranas. 31,900 people walked up and down the streets this coastal town every day... well, 31,899 if we were going to be pernickety about her agoraphobia, and everyday she would look out for twenty, thirty minutes at a time, alternating between the people below and the sea on the horizon.

Marion both simultaneously adored and despised watching the sea.

The sea reminded her of Babenon too much; the way the tides swept in, then retreated back out into the open waters, only for it to come back.

But Babenon had never come back.

Subconsciously, she started to dig her nail into the amethyst, but she stopped herself. She was mad, sure, but such was his character - mysterious, charming and distant. 

_Heh, just like the sea,_ she thought to herself as she stroked the gem before rising from the tub.

Whilst her profession required a certain level of dress, or lack thereof, at certain points, and in those moments it was incredibly freeing to show who she was in all her ruby skinned beauty, she never felt comfortable in that state of undress outside of clients. Even things as simple as rising from the bath, she had to have her towels wrapped around her almost immediately. She never could quite put a finger on it.

A knock at her chamber doors certainly made her thankful for her want to be at the very least partially covered as promptly as possible. "I'll be there in a moment," she called out, wrapping her hair in its own towel. It was always quite a task to do, what with her immense horns and all making what most other humanoids look easy into a task. But, she had been doing this for a number of years now, it was an art form for her.

The knock came again, longer and a little louder than previously. Marion tutted, making her way over to her door. "What is it, Bluud?" she said around halfway across the room, her naturally warm skin drying some of the water by evaporating it off her body, but that which wasn't dripped as she marched to her door, "I have quite literally just gotten out of the tub, can it not wait?"

"I can certainly wait," a voice that most certainly was _not_ Bluud responded, stopping the Ruby of the Sea in her tracks, "but I figured that over twenty years is plenty enough waiting, no?"

Marion was hesitant to even approach the door anymore. This was it; the root of her fear of the outside had come inside to her when she least expected it.

Tides came in and out on a regular basis. And Babenon was like the tide when they first met; he would leave, but he would always come back. He was powerfully alluring, but she knew he was dangerous to get attached to. And yet she did anyway. And when he didn't come back one day, when he left her with child and without the marriage he had promised, and Marion vehemently refused to take a step outside of The Lavish Chateau again. She refused because out there was where he was, where her heart was in part (the other part was obviously with her Little Sapphire, but she knew that she would be leaving at least). And if he were to return and she wasn't there, then the opportunity was missed. What started as a want to be somewhere familiar for if, _when,_ he returned grew into the need to remain indoors at all times and confront him in a place where she held all the cards.

But I guess that the only time the tides retreat that far away and for that long, is because they're preparing to bring a tsunami of emotions with them.

Marion approached the door with extreme caution, as if it was a keg of black powder that would combust if approached with any degree of speed. As she took the handle in her hand, shaking revealing the scared woman she was under the confident exterior, and pulled the door to reveal the hallway, there standing before her was the sweaty blue skinned form of Babenon Dosal - The Gentleman.

"...I must be dreaming," she mused after a long moment of silence.

"As must I," The Gentleman replied with a chuckle, "you look like you've barely aged a day."

"Oh stop it! I had to raise my daughter here on my own, without truly knowing if she would _ever_ meet her father."

"I'm not Jester's _father,_ Marion-"

"And why _weren't you?_ Why _couldn't you_ have been there for my little sapphire as she grew up?!" As she responded, there was a notable heat haze around the Ruby's room, enough to cause a very prominent sweat to start forming on The Gentleman's brow. He looked as if he was going to erupt with anger at The Ruby of The Sea, but a slight creak of the floorboards drew his attention to the left. There was a group of many four or five patrons and employees all staring at the pair in the doorway. Babenon took a deep breath before gesturing into Marion's quarters with a question on his expression, one Marion also answered wordlessly as she let him into her room.

She stood at the door, arms folded to keep her towel in place and letting her tail push the door closed, leaving Babenon to approach the seats set up in Marion's quarters.

"I am sorry, Marion. Truly, I am. But I left because I needed to leave. Because if I didn't, I risked putting you two in danger, having to live with my old life following you two around as well as me; I couldn't do that to you, so I left."

"...you could have written. I'm sure you do plenty of that in your business."

"I could have," he admitted, "but again, I have enemies who would love to trace any aspect of my life outside of my business back to those I care about. And I do care about yo-" he stopped just before finishing the sentence, and let out a tired sigh.

"What is the matter?" The Gentleman just held a finger up.

"I'm okay. I'm... taking a leap." He turns to Marion, who was eyeing him curiously. He smiled, then added, "your mother says hello."

"Was that Jester?" she asked, eyes lighting up at the prospect.

He smiled. "It was indeed. I say we probably have at least half an hour before she comes barrelling back home."

"Well then, I'd better get dressed then, hadn't I? If you were going to be showing up, I mentioned to Jester that we should do dinner." She walked over to the side of her room with all her outfits, selected one that suited the occasion - a long deep blue dress and a pair of gloves that came up past the elbow - and headed behind her divider, before a towel was very deliberately flung over the top of it onto the floor.

Tides are the pushing and pulling of the waves against the shore. It's all well and good letting yourself get swept away in what they bring, but at times, it's fun to fight back

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about the ending, writing steam kind of ran out at the end and I just left it very abrupt.


End file.
